A new microbial catalyst seed treatment for soybeans is promising healthier soils and a superior growth environment. Agnition has launched Commence® for Soybeans, a product the company says will increase microbial activity near the seed, thus liberating nutrients that get soybeans off to a faster start and nurtures them throughout the growing season.
“We consistently see faster emergence and healthier and more robust soybean plants that stay ahead all year long,” said Agnition senior research manager Evan Johnson. “We bring value to the market through better plant health, and because our seed treatment stimulates microbial activity we provide value through healthier soil. Commence® not only provides an advantage to this year’s crop but also long-term value through increased soil health.”
Typical seed treatments are defensive and provide passive protection that is effective only when insect or disease pressure is present. Also, Commence® for Soybeans is not an inoculant. The active ingredients in Commence® for Soybeans are released in the soil after planting where they stimulate naturally occurring microorganisms to improve stand count, root structure and overall plant health.
“Our soybean seed treatment is active and goes out into the rhizosphere, the area around the root, and that’s where the plant gets all its nutrients for a much larger root structure. Commence® is an offensive seed treatment that positively affects the rhizosphere rather than a treatment that sits on the seed and waits for something to attack,” Johnson said.
The company says Commence® for Soybeans is built on two exclusive technologies: a patented microbial catalyst to increase the number and activity of soil microorganism and the company’s ProCoat™ encapsulation technology that adheres the active ingredients in Commence® to the seed and then releases them after planting for maximum benefit.